Happy Rebirthday
by Coraline Morgan
Summary: The anniversary of a vampire's turning is a special occasion to be celebrated.
1. Chapter 1

Happy Re-Birth-Day.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Characters: Josef; Emma; Beth; Mick; Coraline; Sarah; Lance.

Rating: M Some coarse language; adult themes.

Many thanks go to Erinn, who translated Mick and Emma's dialogue from English into French. _Merci beaucoup, Erinn_. (And mistakes – if any – are mine.)

Many thanks also go to my treasured and adored beta, the wonderful Allegrita.

A/N:_ I was dared to post this warning, so here it is ~ _this is the saga of Josef & Emma Kostan - not Mick St. John and Beth Turner - so if that is not to your taste, then I respectfully suggest that you find a nice MickBeth story to enjoy instead.

**Happy Rebirthday****.** Chapter 1.

It felt strange to be at Mick's door without Coraline; it was the first time in months that I'd shown up alone. So I paused outside Mick's door, and took a long moment to force the anguish of my most recent argument with Josef into the back of my mind. My brother had enough problems of his own, without me dragging mine in and thrusting them in his face.

I braced myself and knocked on the door.

Mick answered promptly, with a big smile on his face.

He seemed to be in high spirits, so I matched his smile and said, "Bonsoir, M. St. John."

"Bonsoir, Mme. Kostan. Entrez s'il vous plait," Mick said, and ushered me inside with a courtly bow.

"Merci beaucoup."

"Avez-vous soif? Du sang, peut-être?" he enquired.

I was a little thirsty, and since Beth was there, too, I accepted his hospitality.

"Ça serait apprécié, merci."

"Hey, you two!" Beth called out. "_English_ please. And Mick, since you're offering, I'll have a coffee."

"Hi, Beth," I said, and then I walked over and gave her a hug.

She hugged me warmly and then pulled back and gave me a long appraising look.

"I see you've been shopping with _her_, again."

I smiled and did a turn in an inelegant parody of a fashion model.

Mick smiled and said, "Very nice."

Beth looked at him and said, "Emma used to have such an individual style. Now she just looks like Coraline."

I sighed and in response to that, Beth rolled her eyes. She and Josef both claimed that I'd picked up the habit of sighing from Coraline, but I said that they'd just never noticed before how often I did it. After a moment – and against my better judgement – I decided to offer an explanation with regard to my new wardrobe.

"Beth, Coraline and I look good in the same colours, and she's been helping me choose more elegant and timeless designs so that I look more ... um ... _appropriate_ next to Josef. I'm not trying to copy her, at all – but she does have great taste in everything."

Although I had been thinking of the earrings Coraline had chosen for Beth in Sydney, Beth had apparently taken 'everything' to include Mick. She walked over and slipped her arm around his waist in a casual but unmistakably possessive gesture.

Thinking that my attempts to become bi-lingual were a less contentious issue, I said, "By the way, I apologise for constantly turning up here and yakking away to Mick in French. But I need all the practice I can get."

Mick smiled and said, "Emma, you're always welcome in my home – you know that. And you're actually doing really well for someone who's only been learning a foreign language for a few months. Coraline was saying just the other night that you're a quick study. We're both _really_ proud of your progress."

"_Truly?_ I'm surprised, because the sad truth is that I can _still_ only understand Josef if he wants me to."

"Yeah, I feel the same with Mick," Beth said in a tone that suggested that she wasn't really interested, yet she simply wanted to insinuate herself back into the conversation. "My high school French is so different to _his_ version of the language."

"Well, I don't even have high school lessons to fall back on. That's why I asked Coraline to teach me, since French is her mother tongue–"

Beth cut me off with a glare and the words, "Emma, please don't use the words, _Coraline_, _French_ and _tongue_ in the same sentence."

I was speechless. I glanced at Mick and his mouth was hanging open. He looked down at Beth, as though he was about to speak, but then he just gently pulled away from her, left the room and went into his office.

So I turned my attention back to Beth.

"That wasn't nice, Beth – _not nice_ _at all_." I was annoyed, but tried not to let it show too much. I reminded myself of what Josef had said to me earlier about Beth feeling insecure – especially now that she found herself part of such an oddly connected group of five people that consisted of four vampires and one human – so I did my best to understand Beth's perspective and tried hard to be patient. "You know, it never ceases to amaze me that your eighty-something-year-old boyfriend is more easily embarrassed than my four-hundred-year-old husband." I shrugged. "Times change, I guess. Fancy taking a little walk while poor Mick recovers his composure?"

Beth nodded, so I walked over to the open door to Mick's office and cleared my throat.

"Come in, Emma."

Mick didn't meet my eyes, so I tried to sound especially casual.

"In case you've forgotten the date, tomorrow is the first anniversary of my turning – my _rebirthday_ or something. Josef is having a very exclusive little soiree in my honour and naturally we want you and Beth to be there."

Mick smiled but didn't look up from shuffling papers.

"We'd love to come, thanks. And ... _ah_ ... is Coraline invited?"

"_Of course –_ but she's in Paris on business for a few days and she's not completely sure if she'll be able to get back in time."

"Paris?" Mick echoed. "I'm surprised she didn't invite you to go along. The two of you seemed to have such a great time in Sydney, and several days among native Parisians would have been great language practice for you."

"Coraline _did_ invite me to go – but Josef asked me to stay home."

Mick glanced up for a second before dropping his eyes down to his computer.

"Alright," I admitted, "Josef's actual words were: '_Emma, I forbid it_.' Happy now?"

"Not really." Mick emphasised his words with a frown and a shake of his head. "Emma, Josef _does_ love you ... it's just that sometimes he has a lousy way of showing it."

I swallowed hard to suppress the tears that threatened to fall, put my hand on top of the papers Mick had resumed fiddling with and said with forced brightness, "Beth and I are just going out for some air – we won't be long."

Mick looked up immediately and asked, "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No thanks." I put my hand over my heart with a melodramatic flourish, and added, "And I promise faithfully that I'll take good care of Beth."

He smiled and said, "You're just a baby yourself, Emma. Who'll look after you?"

I counted the points with the aid of my fingers: "One, there's not a _vampire_ in the entire country suicidal enough to hurt me ... not when I belong to Josef Kostan. Two, no _human_ can sneak up on me. And three, Beth and I really need some time to discuss secret women's business."

Mick didn't look entirely happy with the situation, but he nodded anyway.

Beth and I left in silence and kept quiet until we reached the street.

"Beth, since you missed out on your coffee, do you want to grab one now?"

She nodded and steered me in a different direction to the one we had been headed in.

Now, if we could only find a place where I could find a nice glass of blood – since I had missed out on the one Mick had offered me – we'd both be satisfied.

After another minute of silence, I decided to speak my mind.

"Beth, I know that you asked Josef to deal with that photographer."

She stopped in her tracks and swallowed hard.

"Your husband – _my friend_ – promised me he'd keep that arrangement a secret."

I didn't appreciate her tone, but I tried hard to keep my own polite and conversational.

"Josef didn't tell me ... well, not directly anyway. Several months ago, I overheard Josef talking to Coraline very early one evening. He'd let me sleep in, so they weren't expecting me to be around, but while I was eavesdropping, they realised I was there and lapsed into French ... which, by the way is the reason that I asked Coraline to teach me the language, so I don't feel so left out in the future."

I smiled to soften the impact of my words, but Beth either didn't notice or didn't care.

"So I take it that your new best friend has sent you to blackmail me into leaving Mick."

"Coraline isn't my best friend – _it seems that I don't have one of those anymore_ – but she is a _good_ friend. She didn't send me to do her bidding and neither of us is trying to wreck your relationship with Mick! But perhaps _you_ should show _her_ a little respect since she has known your secret longer than I have, and if she was really evil she would have used it against you by now."

Beth began walking again so I fell into step at her side, while I waited for her to collect her thoughts.

Eventually – without looking at me – she spoke.

"Emma, please believe me when I say that I know Coraline a whole lot better than you do. She probably only agreed to teach you French to get close to Mick again."

"As Mick and I have already explained to you – more than once – Coraline thought it would be easier for me to learn French by hearing two people conversing, since that's basically the way we all learn our native language as babies."

"_Your husband speaks perfect French_."

I bit my tongue and chose to ignore the implicit challenge in Beth's words. She already knew damn well why Coraline hadn't asked Josef to help me learn the language.

"Well," Beth stated, "All I know is that that whore has an ulterior motive for everything she does – or doesn't – do."

"Actually," I said through clenched teeth, "Coraline is a freelance photographer, not a prostitute. As for what she may or may not have done in the distant past ... _to survive_ ... well, I don't know about her history because I haven't ever asked her about it."

Beth stopped walking again, so I halted also.

"Emma, can you really be that naive? Whatever happened to the nice Aussie girl I met a couple of years ago? You behave like you're so high and mighty now. You seem to think you're so special just because you're a ... just because Josef has made a claim on you. But trust me on this; as far as your beloved Coraline goes, _the only way she knows how to relate to any man is by being a whore. _How do you think she got Mick to marry her in the first place?"

I closed my eyes and shook my head slowly. I was beyond furious; I felt my fangs elongate and I knew my eyes had shifted to silver. After a full minute – once I felt I had regained sufficient control – I opened my eyes and addressed Beth. She appeared to have been completely oblivious to my transformation.

"Do you remember a few months ago, when Josef cracked that _really_ bad joke about only marrying me because I'm good in bed?"

Beth regarded me quizzically for a moment, and finally said: "Vaguely."

"Do you think less of Mick than you do of Josef?"

"_Of course not!_ What the hell are you talking about now, Emma?"

"If you honestly believe that Josef was only teasing me, then why do you treat Mick with such contempt by insisting that he only married Coraline because she was a fantastic fuck? Do you really believe that Mick is_ that shallow?_ Whether you like it or not, Beth, he loved Coraline with all his heart, and that kind of love_ doesn't just go away_–"

Beth slapped me across the face as hard as she could, which wasn't hard enough to do any real damage but it was enough to make the vampire react, and I snarled at her before I could stop myself. Horrified, Beth took a step backwards, but fortunately she knew better than to run from me.

_Even so, a small, savage part of me wanted her to run just so I could chase her. _

I fought the vampire with every ounce of willpower I possessed. I took a step backwards and Beth took a cautious step forwards.

She tentatively reached out with one hand and said, "Emma, I'm so sorry ... I had no right to slap you ..."

I smelled Mick before I heard his footsteps, so I held my hand up to caution Beth to be quiet, and then turned to face my brother as he approached.

"You two have been gone for so long I was getting–" He broke off mid-sentence as he looked at my face, and his smile instantly dissolved into a frown. "Emma, what happened? Why are you crying?"

Mick then looked at Beth – who was also in tears – and he immediately embraced her.

"One of you tell me what happened! _Now!_"

"Beth and I just had a little misunderstanding," I said quietly. "Nothing we can't work out. I'll ... _ah_ ... see you both later."

I started walking briskly back to Mick's place. I just wanted to get my car and go home. I heard Mick and Beth talking and I thought I heard Josef's name mentioned once, but I wasn't sure since I was deliberately trying to not overhear their conversation.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I hadn't even realised that Mick was beside me until I felt his hand on my upper arm. I stopped and looked up into his concerned face; then without pausing to consider his feelings, I collapsed against him and wrapped my arms around him. Mick was a strong man who loved me, as well as an elder vampire, and at that time I needed the comfort and reassurance of both. He was completely rigid – because in the entire time we'd known each other, we had never hugged before – but after a few moments, he put his arms around me and held me until I was ready to let him go.

I pulled back and said, "I'm sorry, Mick. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"_I wasn't embarrassed_."

I chuckled softly and muttered, "Jeez Mick, has anyone ever told you that you're a lousy liar?"

He glanced towards Beth, who had almost reached us.

"Yeah," he admitted. "Beth has, actually."

"I have actually _what_?"

"Told me that I'm a lousy liar."

Beth looked at me and smiled warily, "Yeah, Mick is a lousy liar – but it's one of the many things I love about him."

The three of us fell into an uncomfortable silence while we walked back to Mick's home.

When we arrived, he insisted that I go upstairs with them rather than head straight for my car, as I had intended. I walked into Mick's apartment, only to find Josef standing in the kitchen looking slightly annoyed. I was shocked to see him because I knew what a busy night he'd been having – that and our argument were the main reasons I'd gone out in the first place – but I was so grateful for his presence that I completely disregarded his expression, and ran straight into his arms.

Josef said curtly, "_You smell like Mick_."

In that moment all the stress I felt at keeping secrets from Mick – to say nothing of the confusion and hurt I felt over Josef keeping secrets from me, and most recently the fight with Beth – reached critical mass and I exploded.

"Oh, for god's sake, Josef, all Mick did was give me one very stiff and reluctant hug because I was crying! _Jesus Christ!_" I was so angry that before I could stop myself, I threw in everything but the kitchen sink. "You both trust _her _and forgive _her_ no matter what she does," I spat, as I pointed over my shoulder in Beth's general direction. "How long will it be before you trust _me_? When will _my_ flaws be forgiven?"

Josef allowed me to push him away then, even though he could have easily held on since he was not only far stronger than me but his reactions were much faster, too. I rubbed my face roughly; angry at the tears that obscured my vision. My gaze met Beth's for a few seconds and I saw that her tears flowed freely; then I raised my eyes to Mick's face. _Bad move_, I realised instantly. He looked so bewildered and hurt. That was the last straw for me, because – in this matter at least – Mick was the only innocent person in the room.

I took off towards the stairs at a run and didn't stop until I reached my car.

I drove to the beach because I needed time to think and besides that, there was nowhere else to go. Although I felt painfully alone, I couldn't go home until I was ready to face Josef; going back to Mick's place was out of the question; and Coraline – who always knew what to say – was still in Paris, probably strolling through the Louvre.

So I sat on the sand and hugged my knees to my chest. For a long time I stared at nothing and allowed to cold, salt-laden air to give me some comfort. Growing up, I had always preferred the beach at night-time anyway. The appeal of deliberately roasting under the blisteringly hot sun of a typical Australian summer had always escaped me, yet I had always found the rhythm of the waves immensely soothing to my spirit.

This night, however, I found no comfort there because the memories crashed over me as relentlessly as the waves that hit the shore.

_Well, I'd made it through my first year as a vampire. _

And what a year it had been: first my turning then my wedding; meeting and being befriended by Coraline; being 'adopted' by Mick as his baby sister; more recently my friendship with Beth degenerating until it hung by a thread. The past twelve months had also proven to be an ongoing struggle to find my place in vampire society and to learn how to be an appropriate vampire consort to Josef. That issue had been driven home with the sharpness of a stake to the heart the night I had been introduced to the terrifying Lance DuVall, after his sire had sent him to offer the family's official congratulations to Josef on the event of his marriage. Admittedly, I was always shown respect as Josef's 'property', but I had yet to earn respect in my own right.

_Perhaps I'd never be able to step out from Josef's shadow. _

I felt like I'd been cast adrift in eternity.

Josef loved me – I knew it – but he was also busy with a number of sudden and serious business problems. Mick loved me and made as much time for me as he could, but he had a job to do and a relationship with Beth to nurture. Coraline always made time for me when she was here, but now she was in Paris without me, which still rankled because Josef had actually forbidden me to go. And Beth seemed to be in a constant state of semi-annoyance with me because when push came to shove – as it had all too often in recent months – my loyalty was always on the side of the vampires. I didn't know what she expected from me.

_Where else could she seriously expect my loyalties to lie? _

I dropped my head onto my knees and tried to force my mind into a comfortable state of blankness.

_It almost worked_.

It must have been well after midnight when Josef finally settled down behind me and wrapped me protectively in his arms.

I put one of my hands over his and asked, "How long have you been here?"

"The whole time ... a few hours ... ever since I followed you here from Mick's place. And Emma – I think you should know that I've killed people in the past for less than what you did and said to humiliate me in front of Mick and Beth tonight."

"Are you threatening me, Josef?"

"No, Emma. I don't make threats," he said evenly. "Threats are for those who lack the courage to do what needs to be done."

I nodded. At that moment I actually didn't feel as though I had much to lose. I steeled myself and waited.

Abruptly, I found Josef kneeling on the sand in front of me, holding my face in his hands and staring deeply into my eyes.

"_You think I'm going to kill you?_" Josef demanded in a voice thick with pain.

"Well that's what you just said ..."

"What the hell has gotten into you tonight, Emma? When you left for Mick's place after our argument, I had hoped you'd return home happy. Spending time with your brother normally cheers you up. Why not tonight?"

My words rushed out in barely coherent babble.

"Beth and I had a huge fight and she said that I was behaving like I'm high and mighty and then she slapped my face and I vamped out and Mick turned up just in time and he apparently contacted you and then you were there and I just wanted you to hold me but instead you practically accused me of having an affair with Mick and–"

"Emma! Stop!"

Josef's tone held the authority of a sire – not the love of a husband – and I closed my mouth instantly.

"That's better," he said. "Now, we're going to deal with this in order of importance. First, I _do not_ think for a second that you and Mick would ever have an affair; I know you two love each other, but not like that. Anyway, Mick already has enough trouble with the two women in his life, _plus_ he – along with every other vampire – knows what I'll do to anyone who ever lays a hand on my wife. And beautiful as you are, sweetheart, no woman is worth the suffering they'd endure." Josef paused and shook his head as if confirming his own statement. "Anyway, Emma, the simple fact is that I don't like Mick's aftershave and I could smell it on you – that's all I was saying. I like you to smell like you – or me – _but no-one else_. Also, Emma Kostan, you _should_ feel high and mighty – after all, you're mine. _My_ fledgling. _My_ wife. And as for _the human_ slapping you, if you gave her a fright, well done ... she deserved it." He paused, and then added softly as an afterthought. "But apparently I'll need to have a word with Beth about the danger of getting physical with vampires ... _particularly very young ones_."

Josef released his hold on my face and put his arms around me. He pulled me tight against his chest and held me while I cried. Beth's cruel words were still haunting me, and after a while, I collected myself and decided to ask my husband a question that I believed I already knew the answer to, yet I still wanted his opinion on the subject.

I blurted out, "Is Mick still in love with Coraline?"

"_Of course he is!_ Mick loves Coraline the way I love – never mind."

I froze.

"Finish your sentence, Josef."

"Why?"

"Because I need to know if you were about to say: _Sarah_."

"What's this about, Emma?" Josef spoke a little too casually. "I told you all about Sarah back in Sydney."

Josef never lied to me, but he was not above simply trying to avoid my questions, either. I pulled back and looked into my husband's beautiful brown eyes, and my undead heart shattered. I suddenly wondered if someday – if Sarah recovered from her preternatural coma – I'd be in a similar position to the one Beth now found herself in with Mick and Coraline.

Josef smiled and said, "_Now you're just being silly_–"

I silenced him with a finger to his lips.

"Please don't say anything else. For a four-hundred-year-old man, you still have a lot to learn about women."

I suddenly felt so cold, in a way that had absolutely nothing to do with physical temperature.

Without taking the time to question the wisdom of potentially provoking another argument, I asked, "What's happening to us, Josef? I feel like I'm losing you by degrees."

"Emma," he said softly, "that connection I've felt with you from the night we met ... the one that allowed me to know your thoughts ... it's breaking down fast. I don't know how to stop the decline or even if I should try to. I've never had that kind of connection with anyone else before in four centuries and I miss having it with you. I suspect that it has a lot to do with you being a vampire now; the stronger you become as a vampire, the weaker our connection gets."

"Josef, the telepathy isn't our connection – our _love_ is!"

I searched my husband's face for a sign that he believed me – agreed with me – but I failed to find that comfort. So I extricated myself from his embrace, and for the second time that night, Josef let me go when I really needed him to hold on to me.

A chasm had opened up between us that I had no idea how to bridge – and for the first time I wondered if there was any point in even trying.

*****

A/N: English translation.

Mick answered promptly, with a big smile on his face.

He seemed to be in high spirits, so I matched his smile and said, "Good evening Mr. St. John."

"Good evening, Mrs. Kostan. Please come in," Mick said, and ushered me inside with a courtly bow.

"Thank you very much."

"Would you like something to drink? Blood, perhaps?" he enquired.

I was a little thirsty, and since Beth was there, too, I accepted his hospitality.

"That would be appreciated, thank you." [That sounds a little stilted in English, but it is apparently correct French grammar.]

"Hey, you two!" Beth called out. "_English_ please. And Mick, since you're offering, I'll have a coffee."


	2. Chapter 2

Happy Re-Birth-Day Ch 2

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Characters: Josef; Emma; Beth; Mick; Coraline.

Rating: M Violence; high level sex scenes; strong adult themes; some coarse language.

A/N:The warning from chapter one goes double this time! This is the saga of Josef & Emma Kostan - not Mick St. John and Beth Turner - so if that is not to your taste, then I respectfully suggest that you find a nice MickBeth story to enjoy instead.

**Happy Rebirthday****.** Chapter 2.

As birthdays and anniversaries go, mine was not off to a wonderful start. First thing in the evening, Josef had eschewed his freshies in favour of a different kind of liquid breakfast. I'd stopped counting after he had knocked back four glasses of scotch on an empty stomach. I didn't know if it was even possible for a vampire to get drunk – at least in the human sense of the term – but Josef seemed to have given it his best shot. Consequently, the smell of fine scotch had preceded Josef, warning me of his approach long before I heard his footsteps. I turned my back to the door before he reached it. A serious crying jag will ruin make-up every time, and I didn't want him to see the state I was in.

He cleared his throat, and said, "Emma, honey, your guests are here now. Are you coming downstairs? You don't want to be fashionably late to your own soiree, do you?"

"Um, no – just give me a few minutes, will you please?"

I expected a reply from Josef, but instead I heard Coraline say: "Emma, may I please come in?"

I nodded calmly, even though I longed to simply run to her.

She walked over to me, took one look at my face, and said to Josef quite casually, "Can you ask Mick to come up here, please?"

"Whatever Emma needs, I'll get it," Josef responded coldly.

"What Emma needs right now is Mick," she replied.

I winced at her words and thought: _Oh god, Coraline, please don't make things any worse than they already are. Please don't push Josef's buttons. _I was afraid Josef would get angry with Mick. And to make matters worse, I had no way of knowing how clearly Josef was able to pick up my thoughts now.

I heard Josef say: "Mick, you're wanted up here, apparently."

I glanced over my shoulder just in time to see Josef put his cell phone back in his pocket; then he glared at Coraline and spat a large mouthful in French. I thought I understood a few of the words and I gasped, hoping that I'd misunderstood.

Coraline took my hand and squeezed it lightly.

"Josef, if you intend to suggest things like that then we should continue this conversation in German since Emma doesn't speak that language yet. Or better still, you can just leave. Thanks."

I wondered, yet again, just what kind of hold Coraline had over my husband that allowed her to speak to him the way she did on occasion – especially in his own home. But before I could say anything, I heard Mick's footsteps as he approached the door.

Even though Josef lowered his voice, he must have known that both Coraline and I heard every word he said to poor Mick: "Just remember who Emma belongs to."

"I'm not gonna touch your property, Josef," Mick responded coldly. "You made your point really clear last night while you were a guest in _my_ home."

While I lowered my head and squeezed my eyes shut, in a futile attempt to stop the tears from flowing, Coraline glided silently over to the doorway and Mick murmured something to her that I didn't hear clearly. Then, even though she spoke very softly in reply, I nevertheless heard almost all of what she said to him.

"... so think in terms of yin and yang, Mick. She needs that polarity. You're right, of course, I am an elder from a noble bloodline, but she was turned by an alpha male who loves her and since her sire is currently derelict in his duties, she needs the comfort of another alpha male vampire who loves her, which narrows the field down to _you_! And please remember that unlike the rest of us, Emma actually is as young as she looks ... she's just a baby of twenty-five. Now, will you please do your big brother thing and comfort her? I'll be back in a few minutes."

I looked around in time to see Mick nod tersely to Coraline then she slipped gracefully past him and disappeared. Mick walked over to me and smiled.

He wiped my tears away with his thumb, and said, "Hey, we can't have the guest of honour miss her own party, can we?"

I forced a smile that I didn't feel, and said, "Didn't you just tell Josef that you weren't going to touch his property?"

"Yeah, I did. Just remember, you're his wife, and his fledgling – but not his property. Okay?"

My last reserve of strength gave way then and I fell against Mick, with my face pressed against his chest directly over his heart. He wrapped me in his arms; just a little less uncomfortable than he had been the previous night.

Abruptly, it struck me as bizarre that he had no heartbeat and I started to laugh.

I felt Mick shift a little – apparently trying to see my face – and finally he said, "Emmy, are you crying or laughing?"

I pulled away so that he could see I was laughing.

"Well, I'm glad," Mick smiled. "But what's so funny?"

I shook my head and fought to regain my composure.

"I'm sorry, mate–" I paused since I didn't know how to explain my stupidity. "Please don't be offended, but when I leaned against your chest, I felt like a kid again. My dad used to comfort me like that when I was upset and I guess I expected to hear your heart beating because that's what I remembered."

Mick smiled and said, "But Josef's almost as tall as me, so you must have had your head on his chest before ..." He let his voice trail off.

"But Mick, that's totally different. Josef is my husband and sire, not my father." Suddenly my mind went off on a tangent I hadn't considered before, about the similarity between sire and parent. I looked up into Mick's face. "I don't want to dwell on that part of the whole vampire family tree issue, do I?"

"No," Mick confirmed instantly. "Better to leave that thought unexplored for as long as possible, Emmy."

"Um, yeah ... I think you're right ... _as usual_," I added with a smile. "Well, I suppose I'd better change my clothes now."

"Don't bother."

"But Josef–"

"Josef will have to act his age and deal with the fact that we're close friends. And think for a moment; he already knows what you're wearing so if you change clothes it'll only draw more attention to the fact that we've been in physical contact."

I closed my eyes and muttered, "_Damn it_."

Mick patted my arm and said, "Don't worry so much."

I opened my eyes and met his steady gaze.

"But Mick, I've never seen Josef like this before. He refused breakfast this evening – he's had nothing but scotch to drink since we woke up."

"He's fine and he's sober. Trust me on that, Emmy. Remember, Josef and I have been friends since before your father was born."

Mick enhanced his comment with a lopsided smile.

_Yeah, yeah, Mick; I get it. Everybody knows my husband better than I do! But you've never seen him when he wakes at midday and can't get back to sleep. You've never shared a freezer with him and listened to him while he talked so softly in the darkness. You've never had to try and soothe the fears Josef's too proud to admit he even has... _

A fast movement caught my eye as Coraline returned and went straight to Mick.

"You might want to keep Beth company. Josef is being a bit – I don't know..."

She let her voice trail off because Mick had already left the room.

"Is everything alright downstairs?"

"Oh, sure honey. It's nothing Mick can't deal with. Now let's get you tidied up for your party." Coraline held up a small, elegantly decorated bag and said, "I brought you a few of my favourite perfumes from Paris."

I gave her a hug and she held me tightly.

When we parted, she said, "I wish you had come with me ... we would have had so much fun."

"Maybe next time."

Coraline nodded, and then said matter-of-factly: "Honey, you smell like Mick."

"I'm guessing you heard about last night?"

"Yeah. _He_ told me all about it."

I was about to ask which 'he' Coraline was referring to, when she suggested that I wash my face and re-apply my make-up. Somehow, Coraline managed to style my hair into an elegant up-do while I made up my face. When we were both finished, I looked in the mirror and was extremely pleased with the whole effect, which was good considering that my dress had cost more than six months rent on my old apartment in Sydney.

We went downstairs together, and found Beth looking tense standing between Mick and Josef. Things were apparently bad because Beth actually looked pleased to see both of us. I went straight to Josef and he slipped his arm around my waist.

He pulled me hard against him, kissed me on the neck and said, "Well, I grew a beard while I was waiting for you – but at least it was worth it."

"Thank you, Josef."

"Champagne, everyone?" Josef tone was half order, half enquiry.

He popped the cork and poured the bubbling, pale gold liquid into five fine crystal flutes. Then he extended his hand elegantly to me and I went straight to his side, once again. He took my hand gently, and before I had time to protest, he bit into my wrist and then held my arm above his champagne flute as my blood dripped into the drink. Josef licked the blood from my healed wrist and proffered his own to me, so I bit into his arm and allowed his blood to mix with my champagne.

Behind us, I heard Coraline say: "Oh, that's so romantic. Mick, we should do that sometime just for old times' sake."

No-one said a word.

I picked up my champagne, and Coraline's, and went back to the group. Josef followed and handed drinks to Mick and Beth.

Josef raised his glass and said: "A toast to my beloved wife and precious fledgling ... on this very special night ... may this be the first rebirthday celebration of hundreds we will share over the centuries."

The tinkle of fine crystal chimed through the room as five glasses touched and four voices merged, saying: "To Emma."

The combination of Josef's blood and champagne went straight to my head. I actually swooned for a moment but Josef caught my arm and steadied me. I was a little embarrassed but everyone – Beth included – simply smiled.

By the time we'd polished off another bottle of champagne, Beth was looking just a little flushed. And I had started to think it was past time I had something more nutritious than alcohol to drink, so I excused myself and went to the kitchen for a snack. When I returned, Beth and Josef were outside in the garden and Coraline was telling Mick about Paris.

I didn't want to actually interrupt, but I gestured towards the window anyway.

"Beth's fine," Mick said quickly. "She just needed some air and Josef went to keep her company."

I nodded and turned my attention to Coraline. She was a wonderful raconteur and had Mick and me both laughing with her vivid descriptions of the snooty Parisian shopkeepers.

Abruptly, Coraline stopped talking in mid-sentence and we all turned our attention to the door where Josef and Beth had just re-entered the room. Something was terribly wrong. Beth's heart was racing and I could smell her fear. At that moment I realised that Josef was fully vamped-out and standing behind Beth with both his arms around her waist. He was holding both her wrists together with one hand.

Beth whispered, "Josef, please let go – this isn't funny."

It was abundantly clear to Mick, Coraline and me that whatever Josef intended, humour wasn't part of the plan, but we needed to keep the pretence of calm for Beth's sake, since thankfully, she wasn't in a position to see Josef's expression.

Mick made a move towards Beth, but Coraline stopped him in his tracks with the words, "No, Mick. Josef is much stronger and faster than you ... someone _will_ get killed."

Beth started to struggle in earnest then, so Coraline said, "Beth, we all know you're scared but don't fight him. Just stay as calm as you can."

Beth immediately looked to Mick for guidance.

Mick swallowed hard and said, "Do what she says, Beth. Please. I'm not–" His voice cracked. "I'm not strong enough to ... fix this."

Abruptly, the horrible realisation that Beth's life probably depended on my ability to defuse the situation speared through my consciousness.

"Josef," I smiled and tried to keep my tone light. "What are you doing with Beth? I thought this was _our_ special night?"

I ran one finger down my own throat in the hope of attracting his interest.

"Well, Emma, my _beautiful_ fledgling, Beth and I were just having a fascinating conversation out in the garden. She confirmed a few of my suspicions. And you, my love ... you seem to be getting everything you need from Mick these days ... apparently he's so much of a man he can juggle three women at once ... still, I can't help but wonder if he'll be quite so smug when he has three _vampires_ to contend with."

As Josef spoke, Beth's expression shifted from utter confusion to sheer terror, and she tried to tear away from Josef's grip, but only succeeded in making matters much worse. He laughed and scraped her neck with his fangs until he drew blood; it was only a little, but he licked her neck and she started to cry.

I smiled at my husband, and then turned my back on him to face Mick and Coraline. Behind me, I heard Beth whimper like a frightened child. I met Mick's gaze and silently mouthed the words: _Do you trust me?_ He nodded almost imperceptibly. So I added: _Whatever happens, save Beth_.

My eyes changed to silver and my fangs descended. I gracefully turned to face my husband and his captive.

I pouted and said, "Can I play too? Tonight is _my_ celebration, after all."

Josef laughed, but there was no humour in his voice.

"Emma, _don't insult my intelligence_."

He was right of course; it was remarkably stupid of me to imagine that I could fool my own sire. I threw a silent prayer in the general direction of God, if indeed such a deity even existed. Beth's best chance of surviving the night lay with me genuinely wanting to kill her.

_If the situation hadn't been so desperate, I would have laughed at the irony. _

I allowed my thoughts to focus on recent events – in particular, those of the previous night. Beth's cruel words; the way she had called Coraline a whore; the fact that she'd slapped my face. Genuine anger came to the fore then, and Josef smiled. Beth had said that I behaved like I was high and mighty because I am a vampire.

_Well, we are the top of the food chain after all_.

Josef was right; humans are only good for a few things. I wondered what Beth's blood would taste like; how her throat would feel beneath my fangs; _and_ _whether or not Mick would find the balls to turn her after I'd almost drained her_.

Josef smiled, revealing the full magnitude of the predator within. He extended one hand gracefully towards me, inviting me to join him. As I did so, Beth looked at me and shrank back against Josef, in a pathetic and futile attempt to find either comfort or safety.

Beth cried out desperately: "_Mick!_"

"Mick. _No_," Coraline said calmly but with undeniable authority; she would always be his sire, after all.

The air was so heavy with the mingled scents of anger, terror, hatred, desperation – and love – that I was almost dizzy from the sensory overload. Add Beth's racing heartbeat into the mix and it was all strangely arousing. I took Josef's hand and he pulled me forward, until I was pressed against the terrified human who was now caught between us.

Josef forcefully angled Beth's head to expose her neck for me, and her crying was reduced to a strangled sob. But I felt no sympathy for Beth; my only interest was in my husband. So I smiled and ran my tongue across my teeth.

"I _love_ my present, Josef – yet there's only one thing I want more than her blood right now."

I guided his hand to my breast. Beth shuddered and closed her eyes. Josef easily moved her slightly to one side so that he could lean down and devour my mouth hungrily. I was vaguely aware of the soft touch of Coraline's hand on my upper back, and then I felt Beth slowly slip from between Josef and me. With the annoying barrier gone, I slipped one arm around Josef's neck and ran my other hand down inside the front of his trousers.

I rubbed my hand against his hard cock and said, "_This_ had better be for me, Josef Kostan, or I'll castrate you with my teeth."

He laughed. Holding me with one arm around my waist, he tore my dress from my body. I hadn't worn a bra beneath my now ruined designer dress, and my panties were nothing more than a tattered scrap of lace a second later. Then he slid his hand between my legs and dipped into my wetness with two fingers. I moaned and he kissed me hard.

Still working his fingers in a rhythm that was driving me wild, Josef broke our kiss to say: "And you had better keep _this_ for me and me alone, Emma Kostan, because if I ever catch you with another man – _especially_ _Mick _– you'll both beg me to kill you before I'm done."

I was so close to coming, my breath was ragged, but I managed to gasp, "Not interested ... in ... _Mick!_ He ... already has ... one ... woman ... too many ... Josef ... oh my god ... _oh Josef_ ... fuck ... _Josef!_"

I desperately tried to pull my husband closer, and he obliged, so I sank my fangs into his neck.

After a minute I finally thought to ask: "We are alone, right?"

Josef laughed and nodded.

I dropped to my knees in front of him, eager for the taste and feel of his cock in my mouth, but he pulled me to my feet in one effortless motion.

"_Oh no!_ Not after what you just threatened to do to me with those teeth."

"Alright," I said, not even trying to disguise my annoyance.

I grabbed the front of Josef's silk shirt with both my hands and simply tore it off his back.

"That was my favourite shirt."

"And my dress was brand new!"

I put my arms around his neck, pulled his lips down to meet mine – and bit him. I could feel his hands against my bare skin as he quickly unzipped his trousers and freed himself of the last of his clothes. Next he pushed me backwards until I staggered under the sheer force of his momentum and I slammed against the wall. Once I was effectively pinned, he cupped my ass and pulled me upwards. I wrapped my legs around his hips and he lowered me onto his cock. I gasped and screamed his name while he pounded into me with enough force to crack the plaster.

I felt one of my ribs break beneath his hand, but he kept going. Moments later, he reached a shuddering climax and bit down hard on my neck.

Josef carried me over to the sofa and lowered me down. Then he got on his knees, grabbed my hips and pulled me towards him, apparently unconcerned about how the rest of my body fell into place. He pushed my legs apart and without prelude, locked his lips around my clit and sucked powerfully. The intense pleasure overwhelmed the slight, dull ache from my now healed rib, and I screamed and bucked my hips against his face as I came.

He relaxed for a few minutes with his head resting on my inner thigh, but suddenly he stood and grabbed my hand.

"Up!"

I did as instructed and he led me into my office. He turned me around to face my large, elegant, wooden desk and pushed me forward to lean over it. He held my hips steady and entered me smoothly, thrusting deeply in a sinuous rhythm until we were both snarling and desperate for release. He leaned over me and placed his arm in front of me, so I sank my teeth into his wrist. And as soon as my orgasm had run its course, he put his hands on my breasts, pulled me upright and sank his fangs into my neck.

***

By the early hours of the morning, similar events had been played out between us on the staircase, in the garden and finally on top of our freezer.

I was exhausted and I had never felt lonelier in my life.

"Josef?"

He regarded me without smiling.

"Make love to me ... please."

He smirked and said, "What do you call what I've been doing for the past few hours?"

I shrugged and replied bluntly: "Staking a territorial claim."

Josef smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. Then he reached out and took my hand.

"We both need sleep, Emma."

Josef opened our freezer. We both climbed in and he closed the lid. He reached out and pulled me into his embrace then stroked my hair.

"God you smell _so good_ now," he muttered. He ran the tips of his fingers up and down my arm as it lay across his chest, and then said, "The first year is always the hardest. But I'm proud of you ... _and the vampire you are becoming_."

I nodded against his chest and willed myself into the frozen, dreamless oblivion that vampires call sleep.

*****


	3. Chapter 3

Happy Rebirthday Ch 3

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Characters: Josef; Emma; Mick; Coraline; Beth; Sarah.

Rating: M High level sex scene; some coarse language; adult themes.

**Happy Rebirthday.** Chapter three.

Everything was quiet, yet the sensation of movement startled me into semi-wakefulness. I was being carried. I dragged my eyes half-open and noted that the harsh sunlight hadn't quite made the shift to dusk.

"Josef? What time is it?" I mumbled.

"S-okay ... go back to sleep," he murmured in reply.

He laid me down on our bed, and we resumed the spooned position we had been in only minutes before in our freezer. Then I felt Josef stop breathing, and I surrendered to sleep moments later.

***

Not quite awake, I nevertheless responded to the pleasure of my husband's touch. I cautiously squinted and judged by the light that it was early evening. Then I closed my eyes again in order to fully appreciate the feeling of Josef stroking my shoulder and arm. His hand travelled slowly down to my hip and I rolled onto my back. His hand slipped slowly between my thighs and I opened up to his gentle caress. I reached out for my husband, and my hand made contact with his muscular shoulder, so I ran the tips of my fingers up his neck and caressed his unshaven face, before allowing my hand to wander of its own volition down his smooth chest and stomach until I felt the back of my hand brush against his erection. I moaned softly and he rolled on top of me, pausing in an unspoken question. I answered wordlessly and he slid into me in one slow, smooth thrust. I pulled my legs up and crossed my ankles against the small of his back. Josef rocked against me in a subtle movement that still somehow managed to touch every sensitive place I had. I dug my fingers into his back as the pleasure radiated through my body, and I sank my fangs into his muscular bicep. A few seconds later I felt Josef's muscles tense and I arched my neck to allow him easier access. His bite had a lazy, dreamy quality to it I hadn't experienced before.

We lay together for several minutes before Josef kissed me softly and whispered, "You awake yet?"

"No."

"Want five more minutes?"

"Uh-huh."

I uncrossed my ankles and rested my feet on the bed, and then I let my fingertips drift slowly up and down Josef's back.

"Emma."

"Hmmm?"

"You know I won't leave the bed all night if you keep doing that."

"Ah," I laughed softly. "The plan's working."

He kissed me tenderly, and then pulled away. I opened my eyes and looked at him.

He stroked my face and said, "I have a million things to do before midnight."

The spell was broken. I, too, had to face reality.

I showered, dressed in jeans, a T-shirt and tennis shoes, drank my breakfast in three big gulps, and then started making phone calls. After several frustrating minutes, I breathed a sigh of relief when I finally found someone willing to talk to me. Even so, I didn't bother with social niceties.

"I'm trying to find Mick. Is he with you?"

"Yes."

"Can I come over?"

A moment's hesitation, then: "Yes."

"Thank you. I'm on my way."

***

Coraline opened the door before I had a chance to knock, and greeted me with a comforting hug. After a minute, she pulled back far enough to look deep into my eyes.

"How are you, Emma? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine ... but is Beth alright? She won't answer my calls. And neither will Mick, for that matter."

"Beth was in shock last night when we took her home, but after a few hours – after the initial trauma had worn off – she gave Mick a mouthful of abuse and told him to get out. Now she won't take calls from any of us."

"I see. I guess we just have to wait, now. By the way, where is Mick?" I asked, glancing around.

"He's in the pool – but Emma, he's naked, so keep a respectable distance."

I nodded – and hoped that my puzzlement wasn't too obvious.

I walked outside and found Mick standing in the water, with his back to the edge, staring into space. I stopped a fair way from the pool and cleared my throat. Mick inhaled sharply, but didn't show any other sign that he was aware of my presence – until he spoke abruptly.

"I don't wanna have to deal with you right now, Emma. And you _stink_ of Josef. Just how many times did you two fuck last night, anyway?"

With that parting shot, he sank to the bottom of the pool.

"Oh, very mature, Mick," I shouted, although I knew that even a vampire couldn't hear me underwater. "And don't bother to thank me for me saving your girlfriend's life. Please, don't even mention it."

I stormed back into the house and Coraline calmly indicated that I should take a seat.

"Coraline, your husband is behaving like an immature prick tonight."

"Well, honey, your husband was behaving like an immature prick last night. They're both men," she sighed. "Need I say more?"

I cracked up laughing and she smiled and shrugged. After a minute I stopped laughing and became serious. I had a confession to make.

"Can I tell you something? I really _hated_ Beth last night."

"I know."

"I had to," I added, well aware that I was attempting to defend the indefensible.

"I understand that, Emma. Josef _needed_ you to be one hundred percent vampire. He needed you to put on a show in front of Mick to prove who you really wanted. You did what you had to do in order to get Josef's attention off Beth. And any smart woman understands the power of sex to control a man."

Although I was grateful that Coraline was pragmatic enough to understand, I was still embarrassed.

"Just how much of that 'show' did you all witness?" I asked sheepishly.

"Not much ... honestly, honey. We saw Josef put his hand on your breast and then I managed to ease Beth out from between the two of you. Mick and I heard you threaten to castrate Josef with your teeth – _well done, and by the way, that really made Mick's eyes water_ – and then we were out the front door seconds later."

I sighed with relief to know that at least they hadn't seen me in my birthday suit.

"Do you think that Mick – and Beth, for that matter – will ever forgive me?"

"Mick will ... _eventually_. And Emma ... if he doesn't, _I will_ remind him that he wasn't always the boy-scout-vampire that you know and love." Coraline shrugged. "But you need to realise that right now he's absolutely devastated because he felt completely powerless to save Beth – and from his best friend, no less. Josef wanted to put Mick firmly in his place, so he used the two women Mick loves most in the world to do it."

I nodded as though I understood when the truth was that my mind was reeling. Plus, I was still trying to reconcile the knowledge that the ruthless predator who had almost taken Beth's life was none other than the man I loved more than life itself.

"However, Beth is a different story, so be careful," Coraline continued. "You should be aware that she's quite fond of staking vampires."

Before I could ask for an explanation, Mick walked in. His hair was dripping wet and he was dressed in the same jeans and Henley he'd worn the night before at my ill-fated party.

He completely ignored me and focused on Coraline.

"Hey, is it okay if I get myself a drink?"

"Sure, Mick," she smiled. "You know where everything is – just make yourself at home."

"Thanks."

Mick walked off in the direction of the kitchen.

I leaned forward and whispered, "He's wearing the same clothes he had on last night. Did he spend the day here? _Are you two_ ..."

I let my voice trail off.

Coraline smiled.

"Yes, he spent the day here because he needed the comfort of someone familiar – even if it_ was _me," she added with laughter in her voice, and rolled her eyes. "But nothing happened, and no, we're not getting back together."

"But you do want him back, don't you?" I asked bluntly. "I'm not wrong about that, am I?"

She glanced over her shoulder to see if Mick was within earshot, and then said: "Yes, I do; and no, you're not. But Emma, it would have to be under the right circumstances. I've learned my lesson; I can be patient when I have to be."

I wondered how long Coraline intended to be patient. After Josef's threat to turn Beth, I wasn't confident that I understood anything anymore. I was staring into space when Coraline reached over and touched my knee.

"Do you want to talk about what happened last night after we left?"

I shook my head, but my eyes betrayed me as they welled with tears. The next thing I knew, Coraline had her arms around me and I was sobbing.

In halting sentences, I revealed that Josef had broken my ribs more than once while we were having sex, and that he'd even broken my collarbone at one stage, due to the strength of his grip. Although Josef's and my relationship was passionate – even by vampire standards – he'd never been violent enough to break my bones before. Yet what hurt the most was that he hadn't seemed to care.

My physical pain was long gone, but my emotional pain lingered.

"I'm so sorry, honey," she whispered.

Before I had a chance to respond, Mick walked back into the room and stared at me as though I was an unwelcome visitor in his home. I knew that he and Coraline had been married for thirty-three years before she had kidnapped Beth, but I didn't know how many years Mick had actually lived in this house that I had only ever known as Coraline's place. So I rose to my feet and looked at her.

"I'd better be going. Do you think it would be alright if I dropped by Beth's–"

I hadn't even finished my question before Mick had my arms pinned to my sides, his snarling face only inches from my own.

"Stay away from Beth," he ordered. "_You_ got a choice, Emma. You _chose_ to become a vampire! _And last night you were ready to take that choice away from Beth_."

I stared up into Mick's face but no words would come. _How could I possibly begin to defend my own actions?_ The only thing I was one hundred percent sure of was that I had done my best under extreme circumstances.

Thankfully, Coraline intervened. She stepped up behind Mick and spoke softly.

"Emma saved Beth's life last night ... she did it the only way she could ... you _know_ that, Mick."

"Stay out of this, Coraline," he snapped, and turned his attention back to me. "Beth was your friend." Mick tightened his grip and shook me hard. "She was your _friend_ and she believed she could _trust_ you! _I believed I could trust you_."

I was speechless. It hadn't occurred to me that I'd lost _Mick's_ trust – I had expected him to understand the situation. At that juncture, Mick looked at me as though he was considering the option of tearing my head off, right then and there. I closed my eyes to escape his glare, and he inhaled sharply.

"So _you're _scared of _me_ now?" he asked savagely. "Well, just imagine how _Beth_ felt last night, trapped between you and your husband."

"Of course Emma's scared of you, Mick," Coraline said quietly. "You're a strong man and she's only barely taller than your shoulder."

Mick pushed me away roughly and I stumbled backwards; I only just managed to keep my balance. He glared at me with pure contempt in the place of his usually gentle expression.

"You're not so brave without your _all-powerful husband_ here to protect you, are you, Emma?"

"Mick, that's enough," Coraline said. "_You don't know what Josef did to her last night._"

Mick looked like he was ready to kill – but his voice was chillingly calm.

"What happened after we got Beth out of there?"

I lowered my gaze and said, "Things got a little ... wild."

"How wild?" Mick demanded.

I raised my eyes and met Mick's stare; however I simply shrugged and refused to answer.

Coraline explained succinctly, "Josef broke her ribs, among other things."

Mick looked from Coraline to me and back again, his expression unreadable. Yet I had the sick feeling that he was trapped in his own private hell, remembering pain he had inflicted on Coraline long ago, while simultaneously trying to deal with present issues. Abruptly, he turned on his heel, stormed out into the garden, and yelled at the top of his lungs.

I looked at Coraline with tears rolling down my face and said, "You shouldn't have told him that."

"He needed to know that Beth wasn't the only one who got hurt last night." She put her arms around me and stroked my hair, as though she was comforting a child, and continued. "Emma, honey, please forgive him. He's angry and hurting and he feels powerless." She paused for a few seconds as if measuring her next words, and said, "Women are stronger than men – _you know that_ – and Mick and Josef both need us to be strong enough to support them right now. This is the 'worse' part of that pesky 'for better or worse' marriage vow."

I nodded numbly, and even though I knew my timing was appalling, I voiced my thoughts in a rush.

"Coraline, would it make things worse if I told Mick that Beth went to Josef to have that photographer killed? I'm not saying that _anything_ excuses what Josef did last night, but Mick still thinks of Beth as an innocent angel who needs to be protected from the big bad world, and she's not innocent at all. She's a survivor if ever I met one."

Coraline glanced towards the window, apparently checking that Mick was still out of earshot.

"Emma, if you tell Mick what Beth did, it will not only shatter his precious illusions about her, but he'll hate _you_ for telling him. I agree that he needs to be told – but not today."

I nodded, hugged Coraline, and asked her to tell Mick I'd said good night.

***

When I arrived home, I carefully avoided Josef, took a shower, and changed into fresh clothes. After that, I went straight to my office and spent a few hours trying to convince myself that I was actually doing some work.

Shortly before 2:00 am, Josef walked in, stood directly in front of my desk and declared: "Mick gets everything."

I looked up from my computer and frowned.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"True – but hearing and understanding are totally different things," I reminded him.

Josef looked at me as though I was being purposely dense, and began to pace in front of my desk.

"Beth apparently either doesn't know or doesn't care about Mick's past; he staked Coraline and set her on fire and she still loves him in her own dark, obsessive way; and now he has the unabashed adoration of _my wife_. Everyone loves Mick. He's handsome and charming ... Mick is the Tribe's answer to Sir Lancelot."

I watched Josef with what I hoped was a neutral expression and tried hard to keep my thoughts guarded, even as they raced._ Sir Lancelot, the gallant knight who fell in love with the wife of his friend, King Arthur; the very same man whom Lancelot probably called 'sire'... oh yes, Josef, when you're jealous you have all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. _

All at once the reality of my life presented itself, and I wondered how I could have been so stupid as to miss it before. I had married the self-appointed king of the LA vampire community, and for some bizarre reason he feared that Mick – his best friend and brave knight errant – was going to fall in love with me – and I with him.

I refused to take the bait, and after a few moments, Josef smoothed his tie and picked up where he had left off.

"Emma, I have power, money, prestige, and more than one beautiful home ... but until I found you, everyone except Mick only liked me for my money and for what I could do for them."

Josef paused again to collect his thoughts, or to give me time to; I wasn't sure which. Either way, I just waited for him to continue.

"And when things get difficult, who does my wife turn to? Not me – but Mick St. John. So now Mick has the love of three strong and extraordinary women. And he's overly fond of giving _me_ advice about _you_, but I wonder if he would do any better if he had the responsibilities I have – a business empire to run plus a fledgling bride to look after."

"Can I say something?"

"Of course."

"I just want to know if I understand you correctly – you were ready to turn Beth because you're pissed off at Mick for offering you advice about being a husband. Is that it?"

Josef smirked and said, "There are worse ways for Beth to spend the rest of her life than being eternally young and beautiful."

It took me a minute to find my voice.

"My god – you are unbelievable."

"Really? How so?" he inquired with a look of polite innocence; he had the boyish charm down to a fine art.

I wondered if it was possible that Josef truly didn't understand the damage he'd done. I shook my head, but it didn't help me organise my thoughts, so I just went ahead and spoke my mind.

"Josef, you're talking about pairing Mick and Beth up for the rest of time, even though two nights ago you told me that Mick still loves Coraline ... and that was right before you broke my heart by saying that you still love Sarah–"

"I didn't mention Sarah."

"You didn't have to! Her name was hanging in the air between us!"

Josef came to a standstill and asked, "Emma, do you _really_ want to know what I was going to say?"

I swallowed hard and nodded.

"I was going to say: 'Mick loves Coraline the way I love _you_, Emma.' That's the truth. I was thinking about you ... and how I'm losing you by degrees."

I heard what he said about losing me but chose to ignore it. Instead, I flew into Josef's arms and he swept me up and carried me over to a chair, where he sat down with me on his lap.

"Anyway ... Mick is my best friend, but sometimes he's stupid and needs a shove in the right direction. If he really loved Beth and wanted to keep her, he'd be man enough to turn her."

"Josef, he loves her _too much_ to turn her."

"Oh please. Emma, drop your impossibly romantic notions of love and see how people really are! _People in love are selfish._" He enunciated each syllable carefully to drive his point home. "I've been watching for four centuries, and nothing ever changes. When you love someone, you want to keep them with you for as long as possible – and vampires just happen to have the means to do that."

"But–"

"But nothing, Emma – I'm right. I decided the night we met that I'd turn you. It was simply a matter of when and whether or not I had your permission. So I gave you the freedom to make the right decision." Josef smiled and stroked my face. "I took the risk of turning you, because I knew that if I didn't, I'd lose you sooner or later anyway. If Mick loved Beth with as much passion as Coraline feels for him – _or that I feel for you_ – he'd turn her. It's simple. Think about it Emma – _you know that I'm right_."

I was stunned into silence.

I fully expected Josef to put me off his lap and leave me with my thoughts, because that's what he normally did after making a devastating statement, but this time, he simply pulled me closer and held me.

The end.


End file.
